


Rumor Has It

by indefensibleselfindulgence



Category: Campaign Skyjacks, Illimat (Board Game)
Genre: Character Study, Gossip, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-04
Updated: 2019-01-04
Packaged: 2019-10-04 02:56:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17296409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/indefensibleselfindulgence/pseuds/indefensibleselfindulgence
Summary: “I heard captain's sick.”





	Rumor Has It

**Author's Note:**

> im just saying the crew probably had some opinions about how only these four weirdos ever talked to the captain you know

  
Rumors have a nasty habit of growing out of proportion when bored sailors have nothing to do all day.   
  
They grow even quicker when they have next to nothing to do for months at a time.   
  
Dref knows this. He's not surprised, per say, when he carries his dinner to his office one day and hears the second and third engineers gossiping on the quarterdeck. He leans against the wall below them and listens, staring straight ahead at a mostly empty deck.   
  
“I heard, captain's sick.”   
  
“Ay, I heard syphilis.”   
  
“Not surprised.”   
  
“Me neither. Thought he'd bounce back faster if it was just syph though.”   
  
“It's a stab to a man's ego.” One slaps the other's shoulder, and they both laugh, loudly. “He'll be up on his feet in no time.”   
  
“He better.”   
  
Dref swallows, hands shaking on the rope of the door to head below deck. He can work with syphilis. That's disgusting, nauseating even, but workable. Ask Travis to whisper loudly while they're drinking about how much of an improper man the captain is, and problem solved.   
  
It's dim in his office. The captain's body is flat on the table, waiting for him where he left it.   
  
He only got up to eat because he couldn't see that well in the dim light anymore.   
  
That's all. 

  
…

  
Dref told all of them about the rumors, so Jonnit was very prepared to deal with it.   
  
Until he started hearing them himself.   
  
He sits on the carved out figurehead and watches the skies with a map tied around his wrist with a string. Just to be safe. He gets distracted when the wind gets a little too strong, but Gable told him that none of them were mad the last time he lost the map and if Gable said it then it must be true.   
  
He hears the whispers, and when he turns his head, he sees the windows open. He considers ignoring it- he does! Because sometimes people tell secrets, and he wouldn't want anyone listening in on his secrets.   
  
“Have you noticed how much Matagot hangs around the captain?”    
  
“Matagot's a creep.” The other voices hisses, and Jonnit almost wants to scramble into the window and give them a piece of his mind. “What deck are you on?'   
  
“What does it matter-”   
  
“You ever sleep near him? The fucking noises in the morning- turns my fucking stomach.”   
  
“What noises?”   
  
“I don't know- crunching? It's nasty shit.” It sounds like spitting and Jonnit wrinkles his nose. He's going to tell Gable for sure.   
  
“Yeah? Think he's doing weird shit with the captain? Or for the captain?”   
  
“Captain's into women-”   
  
“Captains into anything that moves. At least, that's what I heard.”   
  
“Where the fuck did you hear that?”   
  
“Around.”   
  
“You're full of it.” There's silence for a moment, another strong current pushing through Jonnit's hair, almost rolling the bandana off of his head. “You really think-”   
  
“There are uglier bastards on this ship.”   
  
“That's for sure.” Jonnit scrambles up as quiet. One foot over the railing, and then the other and once he's stable, he runs to Dref's office as fast as he can, making sure no one stops him before he can and tells him what he heard.   
  
Dref looks sick about the whole thing.  
  
But then when doesn't he? 

  
…

  
Travis is barely surprised that they're whispering about him- who wouldn't – but it's different when he can creep into a room silently and listen to them.   
  
Kinda.   
  
“He hangs around Gable a lot.”   
  
“If you're gonna give Gable shit you've gotta have the biggest pair on this ship.” At least they're aware this is a bad idea.   
  
“I'm not giving anyone shit alright?! I'm just sayin. You think he found god?”   
  
“Fuck no. The Captain's a degenerate. Just like all of us are. And she ain't practicing anymore.”   
  
“No one ever leaves the Church dipshit.”   
  
“I think Gable could. If she wanted to.”   
  
Travis rolls his eyes. Even if it's true. Even if they could have dipped from that nightmare- found god, honestly. Who has time for that sort of thing? He's halfway out of the door, wood pressed against fur when they start talking again.   
  
 “You think the captain's dying?”   
  
Travis' blood runs cold.   
  
“I think there's a bigger chance of the captain fucking the creepy doctor then there is of him dying.”   
  
Well if there was ever a time that thinking about Dref touching another person for more, then five seconds made him feel good, this was it. 

  
…

  
Gable is only in Dref's office because they're waiting for Dref to finish brewing the new batch of alcohol.

That's it.   
  
They lean on a wall and watch Dref stew over the pot for what feels like hours. And it's a big pot. Big enough for the whole crew, once Gable and Wasp finish with it, burning the worst of it off in the kitchen.   
  
Alcohol, even trash alcohol like this is bound to get the crew to shut up for at least a while. At least until port, at least until actual work.   
  
“Gable-”  Jonnit bursts through the door, and they shush him immediately.   
  
“Quieter-”   
  
“Yeah- yeah you're right-” Travis pads in after him, almost silent, weaving in between Dref's legs only to make the man fall over. Dref doesn't- barely, but some of the boiling liquid spills on the floor and Gable sighs.   
  
“They got worse,” Travis says, jumping up onto a counter and knocking over tins. “They think he's fucking Dref now.”   
  
“E-Excuse-M-Me-” Dref has the decency to sound livid before Gable walks over and twists him around to finish his work.   
  
“I heard they think he's fucking you now,” Jonnit says. “Travis, I mean.”   
  
“Language.” Gable turns to look at him.   
  
“Sorry.”   
  
“It's fine.” They say. “No one has to worry about what the zombie is or isn't doing because I'll take care of it.” Like they always do.   
  
“By getting them wasted?” Travis is already curled up, tail swishing lazily.   
  
“They're pirates- privateers.” They say. “And even if they weren't, who doesn't like getting wasted.”   
  
“M-Me.”   
  
“Of course you don't.”

It's weird listening to a coyote snicker.

**Author's Note:**

> comments are always encouraged and very very very appreciated
> 
> talk[ to me here](http://iamalivenow.tumblr.com/)


End file.
